Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Fort Sewall is an interesting fort built in Marblehead, Massachusetts in the 1600's. (see here for more details: http://www.essexheritage.org/sites/fort_sewall.shtml ) This painting is based on a view of one of the remaining bunkers that supposedly held prisoners during one period of history (and is, of course, rumored to be haunted). I am intrigued by the area - I hope to make more paintings inspired by the fort.

As usual, I am way far behind everyone else - but there is only one day left to vote in the Indie Junction Earth Day Challenge. I didn't submit anything...found out about it a little too late and I've been a little too swamped...but there is some really lovely work in it. Check it out here:

Monday, April 5, 2010

ACEO are Art Cards, Editions and Originals. They are little works of art, measuring 2.5" x 3.5" - the size of standard trading cards. I guess people collect them like crazy! I didn't even know that there was a whole ACEO-world out there.....artists, collectors, places to sell and trade them, supplies, etc.

Well, I was in need of a quick fix, a tiny project I could finish in one short session. So I decided to give it a try! Fun! I figure if I can do a couple of these, it would help put a few more items in my Etsy shop. It lets me take a short break from my painting in progress without getting tied up in another big project. Plus it give me a chance to work a little faster, a little looser, to try new things, and to experiment with new subjects or ideas or things that I might want to grow into a larger painting eventually. Or to visit old friends (like the tulip above).

ACEOs may have to be my project of choice for the summer when the kids are home and my already fractured painting time is reduced even further. A painting in one short sitting? I think I can live with that!

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Kind of a bummer of a week ... and did not get to paint nearly as much as I would have liked. However I was very happy to discover today that I had been included in two treasuries on Etsy!

I have also been accepted as a member of EtsyVAST (Visual Artists Street Team)! One perk is that I get to post on their gallery blog. It is a great blog and fun to check out everyone's work. Check it out here: http://vastgallery.blogspot.com/

This should be another crazy week. Being in need of a quick fix, I am considering doing a few ACEO's. Stay tuned......

Retro roadside art.....Join me as I paint my way around New England, capturing favorite signs and buildings that are quickly disappearing from our landscape - with some classic cars and vintage toys thrown in for fun.

Want to purchase a painting shown - or commission one of your own? Please contact me at DShirleyArt@yahoo.com for more information.